Excavator



sept. 14, 1943.

E. s.- vBl-:RNEY

EXCAVATOR Filed Maren 31, 1942 4 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Sept; 1'4, 1943 l y Myinventon relates to means for excavating, carrying.,l dscharging and; aspreading iearth; or comparablelmaterahiandI is'ides'igned'to be drawn by, aniattachedeztra'ctorontobe tseu-propelled;

v HjfIt.; isani object .fofmy invention, in .'gene'raLlI to provideianimproved excavator. i i f Y' An0ther0b'i'e0t off'my mfentionfisV to -provide ani excavator fof..such: aA design?` that itcanireadily beirigged foi. operation :by cableier :by 'hydraulic Another f-olvo'j listo. iprovi'd'e an excavator-,in .Whchthaexcavated eartntis drected-upwardlyrand rearwardly to Japositio'n forvreadyrearward'discharge. e fi f" A further-,ebjectvofmy invention is tojpr'vide agrear discharge .excavator 'havngi'fmeans for returning. {fthemain :bowl ffrom its. .discharging position 'toward itskcar'rying position; Y f

g Ari-additional object fof fmy'inventionzisto pro-r videj fan-excavator in which the l'di'scharg'eoffthe earth-iscontrolledautornaticallve z i -1 additional/objectief nyinvention'is to: p'r'ovidefanxeavatorlhaving meansfforirelevingthe eyaffiniaecidaneeivlth'mi. y d designed .for OperatQfby"hydraulic means. nr its!k preferredY form the 'excavator ofiny i venton incorporates. a .frame .having .front/.ana

fee? gfmiednggina 'Wheels and? @e .is

eert-:fer 'a 'ce-ntie ....eEXCAVATUR.. .'fi a 4 L'ErnestS,ierneyilitllen; ev *Y v i pll'ieatieiifM'ai-eli 19de-arienne y. i' Y 'discharge:pesinienfnnebewleneeetefs ersjpnng Whchis'tens-enedlsb as t'lpropelVthefinainldowl vthe vehicleandiftnir axle 'I'Bfal'so-seves'f'as the f fastening point fforravuraftfbeam T18; which ex@ the manbow'l'ZS isgipivotally 'mounted `with respect tj thel mainframe'to. rotate about `the i axis Disposedialsoren the'axis 2f .designedto ,walls ratheff'diretiy b'earthe-prin'cipal forcesi Spanning the distance between the sde 29, 34'and 3|, is the floor 38 of the main bowl. This floor is constructed of suitable metal plates and has a curved shape from its position overlying all of the wheels 32 in a generallynownward direction in carrying Aposition'until at its `forward end it merges smoothly with a forward V cutting edge 39 adapted to engage and dislodge the ground as the excavator advances thereover. The contour of the bottom 38 is such that when the earth is dislodged by thelcutter 39, it .is carried rearwardly and upwardly in an easy curve to overlie as nearly as possible the axis 22 automatically when the cutting edge 39 is moved downwardly rfrom its carrying position A, shown in full lines in Fig, 1, to an excavating position cally cause'the. opening of the front apron varyand to occupy all parts of the main bowl, including the rearmost parts.

With many excavators there is often expe.

rienced diculty in compelling some of thevexing amount as the machine moves from its carrying position into an excavating position. Conversely, when the machine is moved from an ex cavating position backintoits carrying position,

the weight of the front apron causes it to recavated material to iiow far enough to the rear? of the main bowl so that a full load can'be had .g

for each particular cycle of excavation. The tendency of the excavated earth is to stay in the forward portion of Hthe bowl 2li-and even to tumble forwardly after it has been excavated and to roll ahead of thecutting edge 39. This has ledin many instances to the :adoption of a front apron ofthe type having a forwardly and upwardly extendingwall aheadioi` the cutting edge 39 so that the forwardlyrolling material can fall into and be carried by it.v `This type operates quite satisfactorily undermost circumstances, but is sometimes diiiicult to close in the eventV a mass of earthis forced ahead of the cutting blade l39. Y f

`To overcomethis and 'other disadvantages of such iront aprons, yI providethat'the side walls 21 and 2B of my main bowlare spanned by-a closure Iplate'4l which is an arcuateplate extendingupwardly and rearwardly from adjacent the cutting edge 39 and overlyingy the, forward portion of the side walls 21 and 28, so that earth which rises, Yafter having been excavated, above the cutting edge 39 is deflected by such plate 4| and instead of tending to fall forwardlyA on top of and ahead of the cutting edgeis directed rearwardly to occupy a rearward position in the main bowl 26. Since the plate 4| does not ex-. tend entirely down to the cutting. edge- 39 and since under different soilf conditions Hdierent openings between such plate and the cutting, edge are desirable, I provide various auxiliary closure plates 42 and 43, for example, which when in position formicontinuations of thejplate 4| and leave a' .narrower ,opening or throat between their lower edge and the' cutting edge` 39. The auxiliary plates are fastened by removableA fase. teners 44, for example bolts, andVL can ,bev in"- stalled or removed by thel operator, depending upon the characteristics of the particularimates rial being excavated.l Thus, some 'or vall ofthe lying thecutting edge 39.. s Side plates 48l join theoppo'site extremities iof the plate V41 y. and terminate' in mounting pivots 49 securedV at con-y venient points onv the respective Iside walls .21 and 28..

In order thatV the front apron 46 will open main in position cutting through whatever material happens to overlie the. cutting edge 29.

Further lifting movement of the main bowl is accompanied by movement in unison of the front apron'. In order to produce the requisite movement ofV the main bowl 26, acable 56 extends rearwardlyl from any suitable source of Vcontrolv on the tractor and passes over a lead sheave `51 mounted on the goose-neck l2, thence between a pair of guide pulleys 58 and a similar pair of guide pulleys 59 and thence over another guide pulley 6| `to betra'ined around and` fastened to a central cable drum |52.y This cable drum is on a transverse shaft 63 kwhich is journalled in central bearings 64 and 66 mounted on a cross-beam 61 just 'ahead of the shaft 63. `The beam 61 at its opposite ends hasrearwardly directed portions 68 'which-merge with a pair of uprights 69 and 1 respectively, `upstanding from the side beams 1 and 8. Brace beams 12 are secured vto the forward portions of the side beams 1 and 8 and at their upper rearward ends arevfastened to the rearward portions k68` of the cross-beam 61' as well as to the uprights 69 and 1|, thus affording a rigid arrangement.`VA The center of the crossbearn61 isalso supported bylthe rearward' part ofthe; box beam which after extending upwardly and rearwardly in a straight line is curved about the axis 22 as. acenter to merge with the cross-beam 61. f

Being supported not only by the bearings 64 and66 but also by bearings v13 and 14 at vthe top of the uprights'69 and 1|, the shaft 63 is able to carry'also a pair of individual cable drums 16 and 11, respectively, mounted adjacent the ends of the shaft and approximately overlying the side walls 21 and 28 of the 'main bowl. Fastened to and extending around each of-the cable drums 16 and 11. are cables 18 and 19, respectively, which extend from such drums 4around pulleys 8|, rotatably mounted Aon the side walls of the main bowl, and then extendupwardly` and rearwardly to suitable dead end fastenings 82.4 Thus, the cables are deadyended on the super structure of the' main frame, the 'super structure including generally vrotates, the individual drumsv 16 and 11,- thereby y taking in the cablesu18 and 19 to rotate the main bowl rearwardly or rcounter-clockwise, as seen in Fig. 1, about the axis 22. If this rotation moves the cutting edge `39.frorr1`position B into position A as shown in.Fig.-1`, the machine is moved from its excavating into itscarrying position. If thef be'ftransporte'd alonggdist portinglmean'sfare!provided l SjOntl'i'e mainbowl" And preferably the'fhebklisl sumeientitnolu-thepartssecurely go H28 dn he auiarlt-iwall of-tnemainfbewiif weee; 3

carry is relatively short, it is usually feasible to A turns'fuiiiieriithiiiuncef-{the springsfQS'ilto itspositionfagainstCtheistops-l02f and fthelprjec'- ti 'ileave tlefbarria maintain the linerl in tensionanditeisnola 'ne load in that fashion.v .113,

closure plate-1111s p Y L atlete-:engagea heeigliatch filwmeh s 'eer-ineete the sid 1s projectio'rionto the hook 86'.' ffThat-being-donei the iinterleng'agementfef-"the proje'nn' alici@ er eaenferiwnienamounted-'en a'pivetpin 1 parted-1 ever aerea-'dierenriem -lfjhefey `i l '-b'owrpastdadcenter-pes ienlutffiikewisef includes a cross-shaft 9| having rollers 92'thereon tion of 'its length. The shaft 9| of the carriage passing overguide rollers 91 and extending to the ywhich the carriage 89 operates is curved or arcuand 99 and as the bowl passes dead -center posiprojection as off elf-the ookfleteiih spring' BI'rnove's the Vnoo latch ou'if t Iefihe mais.. mb@ di weed? for restoring the emptyrbowtoward lts""lo`afcli i n carryingposition. Elonthat. reason, in the path of theprojection'B I'provide a carriage 89 which of the lever permits reclosure of the latch lever ||`L Iify by some chance, the gate'lll'l is not yet shut, the member |6 cams against the latch lever to snap shut in the customary fashion. In this Way there is provided a rear gate which is automatically opened during the dumping operdesigned to runl in the track-like sides of the box Y beam which beam in its bottom web has a central slot 93 cut therein for a considerable por- 89 has secured to it a pair o f cables 911 and 95 far end of kcoil springs'98 and 99 respectively, which are housed within the box Abeam and at the forward ends are set against a, plate |0| therein, so that as the carriage 89 is moved toward the rear of the machine, the springs are tensioned.

The portion of the track-like box beam Il in give the Vdesired depth of spreadV andv is automatically closed upon restoration of the main bowl from dumping toward subsequent carrying 55 or excavating position. r l l Under certain circumstances it is desirable that the excavator be pushed by a supplementary ate about the axis 22 so that as the projection 83 tractor- For this reason there is secured t0 the rises it enters the Slot 93 and projects upwardly rear gate |06 apusherfbar |28 which is connected Nwhchthe cablel 56 is paid out.y The carriage ation and is opened a pre-determined amount to n therein far enough to engage the carriage 89 60,105' a pivot pin |29 t0 its mounting |3| and iS left which normally 1 5 retracted against stops |02, to oscillate in avvertical plane, but is restrained Further vpivotal movement of the main bowl 26, flOm Such OSClllaiiOn by 21 pair of ODPOSGY actrearwardly causes a tensioning of the springs 98 f ing coil springs |32 and |33, respectively, interl posed between the shank of the' pusher |28 and extensions of the mounting |,3|. Thus, after the tion, the tension of the springs increases so that the fmaltravel of the bowl is materially cush- I pusher |28-has been engaged by a following traciOIled although it can Still be produced by 00utor, for example, and force is being exerted there- 'tnued'drawingy 1n of the cable 56. on, the operator can raise and lower the cutting l lare effective to restore the main bowl past dead of the springs |32 and |33.

Whe-'f1 it iS desired t0 return the main bowl 70 edge, say, between the positions A and B without ,from its maximum tilted O1 dumping DOStiOll C, altering the positioning of the push member |28, the Cable .'is slacked and the Springs -98 and 99 but Simply resulting in corresponding deflection center position and further downward movement In the form of my device shown in Fig. 4, the thereof can be readily controlled by the rate at 75 general layout is the same as previously described,

but the draft means is somewhat different. Here the goose-neck 2fand the cross-beam are'an` chored not'to a standard front axle, butto a specially driven front aXle |41 Whchis connected to a draft vehicle |42 provided with a suitable source of power and an operating station |43 for the operator. The power unit |42 and the front axle |4| are connected to the goose-neel;y I2 by a ball joint |44 and the draft unit is also connected l to the frame member by a lnk|46 joinedby ball joints |41 and |48to the adjacent parts, preferably in such a manneras to pass over the vertical axis of the ball |445. In this form of the apparatus the operation is entirely hydraulic and,

n hence, o n the draft unit |42thereis provided a source |43 of hydraulicpower'with a suitable controller ||ftherefor. From the hydraulic controller lines extend to a pairofv hydraulic cylinders |52-and |53, respectively, which are connected to the super structure and tothe mainv bowl 26. vWith this arrangement it is not lnecessary to -havethe latch lever 84, nor to have any of the mechanism associated with thecable 56. since the double acting hydraulic mechanisms are effective 4to-lower the cutting ledge from po'- sition A into position B and to raise it into posi-- tion C, and also to restorerit without springs.

Undercircumstances where hydraulic ypower is permissible and feasible the Fig. 4 arrangement f is somewhat simpler. The remaining 4part of the structure is substantially as described in connectionv with Figs. 1, 2 and 3.'y

I claim: Y g l 1. An excavator comprising a ground-supported frame, an earth receiving bowl pivotally an earth receiving bowl pivotally mounted with respect to said frame, means for pivotallyrnoving said bowl to and pasta dead center position, a carriage adapted to run on said track-like superstructure, a spring fastened at one `end on said superstructure and at the `other end to said car# rage, and a projection on said bowl adapted to j y 2,329,241l

engage said carriage as said bowl moves to and past dead center position. Y. f

2. An excavatorcomprising a frame, front and rear ground-engaging wheels supporting said frame, an earth receiving bowl, means for supporting said bowl von saidrframe to pivot'about thefaxisrof said rear wheels, a cutting edge 'on saidV` bowl, a releasable latch for supporting said bowl in carrying position, cable means for also supporting said bowl incarrying position and for pivotingsaid bowl to and past a dead center po-y sition, and spring means for resisting pivoting of said bowl to and past deadV center position.

l 3. An excavator comprising a frame, front and rear ground-engaging wheels supporting said frame, an earth receiving bowl, means for supporting saidv bowl on said frame to Vpivot about the axisy of said rear wheels, a cutting edge on said bowl, a projection on said bowl, areleasable latch for engaging said projection to support said bowl'in carrying position, a superstructure'included in said frame, a carriageon lsaid superstructure, a spring Aconnected to said superstruc ture and to said carriage,v and cable means for swinging said bowl to lift said projection from as said bowl approaches dead center position and to tension said spring as the bowl moves to and past dead center position.

ERNEST s. BERNEY. l 

